HHS Youth Volunteers of Harrison Club Builds with Habitat for Humanity

Members of the Harrison High School Youth Volunteers of Harrison (YVH) Club participated in the building of a house by Habitat for Humanity of Westchester in Yonkers, New York. This house will be sold to a local veteran and his family. The veteran worked alongside the Harrison students and the West Point Parachute Squad in building this new home.

“We worked on baffles and pieces of Styrofoam that will be used on the inside of the roof and will allow the heat that rises to escape as well as prevent ice dams from forming and rotting the roof,” said junior Isabella Prado. “Additionally, another group worked on transporting pieces of wood that will be used for the interior of the house – a difficult task as the wood was absolutely covered in snow and ice.”

The YVH Club has already participated in five builds this year. The group also volunteers at different Habitat events, like the New Rochelle community holiday party in December and the Love a Veteran event in February. In March, the group will be participating in a rally to promote affordable housing options in Westchester County, an event being coordinated by Habitat of Westchester CEO Jim Killoran.

“I thoroughly enjoy taking part in these builds because it is amazing to think that your work will pay off and this house will give veteran families affordable housing,” said Prado. “It’s especially touching when you work directly with the veteran whose house it will become once it is completed, as was the case during this build.”

“I think community service is vital because it shows us that we are only a tiny portion of the world but that, collectively, we can be extremely powerful and act in ways that will benefit others.”